Fluid-flow device, particularly rotary compressor and the like and slider construction



Aug. 17, 1965 H. RYFFEL 3,201,034 FLUID-FLOW DEVICE, PARTICULARLY ROTARYCOMPRESSOR AND THE LIKE AND SLIDER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 29, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HANS R FFEL Aug. 17, 1965 H. RYFFEL 3,201,034FLUID-FLOW DEVICE, PARTICULARLY ROTARY COMPRESSOR AND THE LIKE ANDSLIDER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HANSR HEL His Mf q,

United States Patent Ofifice PnZlfiB l- Patented Aug. 17, 1965 3,201,634FLUID-519W DEVEQE, PAR'HGULARLY RGTARY COR/WRESSGR AND THE lLlKE ANDSHEER CUNSTRUCTIGN Hans Ryifel, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Dr. G.Diitwyler, Zurich, Switzerland r Filed Mar. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 269,003 8Claims. (Cl. 230-153) The present invention relates torimprovements inrotary fluid-flow devices, such as a rotary pump, fluid motor orcompressor. For purposes of simplification in the description, theinvention will be described as applied to a compressor, but it should beunderstood and appreciated that it applies equally well to a fluid motoror pump without departing from the underlying principles of theinvention.

With heretofore known rotary compressors of the type provided with aneccentrically arranged rotor and employing a plurality of sliders whichwere moved against the inner wall of the rotor housing or stator, eitherby centrifugal force or under spring action, the disadvantages appearedthat at high rotational speeds the centrifugal force was increased tosuch an extent that rapid wear of the slider at its end or ends occurredat the inner wall of the stator. Such, of course, tended to increase thegap losses between the slider and inner walls of the stator, withattendant impairment of the efiiciency and operability of thecompressor. Furthermore, a tilting of the sliders in their relativelyshort guide slots frequently occurred, or the sliders became caught evenin the presence of relatively small resistance, such as hardened oil ordirt.

Thus, an important object of the present invention is to provide animproved rotary compressor or the like provided with an improvedconstruction of slider means, whereby the afore-mentioned disadvantagesare eliectively overcome or at least considerably minimized.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluidflow devicewhich is extremely efiicient and reliable in operation, as well asrelatively easy and economical to manufacture.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improvedrotary pistoncompressor or the like of the type comprising a rotor and astator, and at least one sliding vane assembly of improved constructioncapable of reducing or maintaining gap losses between the rotor andstator to a minimum. A further important object of the present inventionis to provide an improved construction of a slider element for a rotaryfluid-flow device which is not readily subject to extreme conditions ofWear, nor misalignment when assembled at the rotor.

In accordance with a preferred form of the invention there is provided arotary fluid-flow device comprising a housing having inner wallsdefining a fluid chamber, inlet and outlet ports communicating with saidfluid chamber, a rotor member eccentrically disposed for rotation insaid fluid chamber, said rotor member having contact with the Walls ofsaid fluid chamber between said inlet and outlet ports and beingprovided with a diametral slot. An improved construction multiple slideris carried in said diametral slot for sliding movement relative to saidrotor member and contacts said walls of said fiuid chamber at opposedends of said multiple slider.

The multiple slider comprises at least two intersecting, symmetricalslider blades which are disposed in said diametraltslot, each sliderblade comprising a pair of blade wings disposed in separate planesinterconnected by an intermediate connecting member provided with arecess, with one such slider blade turned through substantially 180degrees in its own plane relative to the next adjacent symmetricalslider blade, with the respective recess of said slider bladesinterengaging to form said multiple slider. In the as-assembledcondition of the multiple slider a blade wing of one slider bladeoverlies a blade Wing of the other slide blade and with a respectiveblade Wing of each slider blade lying in a substantially common plane.Each of the slider blades possesses the same effective lengthsubstantially corresponding to the length of a chord of the housingchamber passing through the geometric center of the rotor member andthrough the shortest axis of the fluid chamber.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of thepresent invention will become apparent from the detailed descriptiongiven hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detaileddescription and specific example, while indicating a preferredembodiment of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, sincevarious changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of theinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from thisdetailed description.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 diagrammatically illustrates: a section through the compressorhousing and rotor, taken trans versely to the axis of the rotor;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view through the corn pressor housing androtor of the device shown in FIGURE 1, taken along lines IL-II thereof,with the slider removed from the rotor.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective representation of one slider member of adouble slider or vane employed in the compressor structure of FIGURES 1and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal view, partly in cross-section, through thedouble slider or vane of improved. construction according to the presentinvention;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a three-part slider assembly with theindividual blades shown prior to assembly;

FIGURE 6 depicts the three-part slider assembly of FIGURE 5 in assembledcondition;

FIGURE 7 shows a star formation slider employing two blades; and

FIGURE 8 shows a star formation slider employing three blades.

Referring now to the drawing, the new and improved rotary vane typecompressor according to the invention, in its preferred form, comprisesa housing 1 provided with a fluid chamber 2 having inner walls ofelliptic or quite nearly elliptic configuration for example, asgenerally represented by reference numeral 12. The housing 1 is furtherprovided with ports 3 and 4 communicating with the fluid chamber 2.Within the fluid chamber 2 there is disposed for rotational movement arotor member 5 driven through the intermediary of a shaft '7 by anelectric motor 3 or other suitable drive known to the art. Dependingupon the direction of rotation of the rotor 5 one of the ports 3 or 4forms the inlet port and the other then forms the outlet port. If it isassumed that the rotor 5 rotates in clockwise direction, that is, in thedirection of the arrow of FIGURE 1, then reference numeral 4 denotes theinlet port and reference numeral 3 the outer port. By referring toFIGURE 1 it should be appreciated that, in the desired form shown, therotor 5 is eccentrically arranged with respect to the geometric centerof the elliptical chamber 2 and has its axis of rotation disposed at adesired location along the minor axis of the ellipse, the length ofwhich axis is generally designated by reference character b.Additionally, the rotor 5 is arranged for wiping action tangent to theinner wall of chamber 2 at the top end of said chamber between the ports3 and 4. As can best be seen from FIGURE 2, the rotor Sis provided withan elongated, diametral slot 6 in which a shuttle or slider 14 ismounted for sliding movement in its longitudinal direction. Duringrotation of the rotor through the agency of'the drive motor 8, theslider 14; rotates along with said rotor and is free to slide relativethereto, whereby the respective slider ends maintain a wiping actionwith the inner or internal walls 12 of the fluid chamber 2 with thepoint of contact between the respective slider end or face and the wallof fluid chamber 2 continually changing as the slider 14- rotates.

By now referring to FIGURES 3 and 4 the details of the shuttle or slider14 of improved construction can be easily ascertained. In the desiredform illustrated, the slider 14 is constructed as a multiple slider,that is, in the depicted embodiment is formed as a double slider forexample, comprising a pair of symmetrical, intertitting or interengagingslider blades or vanes 1b, 11 having a plurality of contact surfaces oredges at the respective ends of the slider l l. An inspection of FIGURE4 will clearly indicate that at each respective end of the double slider14, a pair of contact surfaces or edges we, Elle and lltif, 11respectively, lie one behind the other in the peripheral direction ofthe fluid chamber 2. a

In FIGURE 4 the slider blade 1% has been shown in section and the otherslider blade 11 in elevation. In FIGURE 3 there is shown a perspectiveview of the slider blade or vane it), but it will be remembered thatsince all the slider blades possess an identical shape, the descriptionof slider blade ltl sui'lices to describe the other blades of themultiple slider. Thus, the slider blade It) comprises an integral bodymember ltlk including blade wings or ribs 180. and ltlb interconnectedby a web or intermediate piece 100. It will be recognized that theintermediate piece 190, is somewhat inclined to the horizontal and thatthe blade Wings lltla and Nb are elevationally spaced in step-lil e orechelon formation from one another. As such, the axis of each blade wingIlla, 1% lie in separate, horizontal planes, substantially parallelto-one another. The opposed ends We and 1d of the slider blade arerounded-oft in arcuate form for example.

From FIGURE 4 it will further be seen that the distance l between theopposed contact edges ids and 1th of slider blade ill corresponds orsubstantially corresponds to the minor axis b of the elliptical or quitenearly elliptical fluid chamber 2. Additionally, the slider blade 1t) isprovided with a slotted recess 19d in the region of the interconnectingpiece 1490, which advantageously extends through half of the width ofthe slider blade 10. The width s of this slot or recess ltld is greaterthan the thickness 1 of the slider blade 10.

The multiple slider 14 constituted by the identical shape slider blades10, 11 is shown in the as-assembled condition in FIGURE 4. It should berecognized that in order to assemble the slider 14 from the sliderblades 10, 11 'to form a multiple slider, one of the slider blades, suchas blade 11 is rotated through 180 in its own plane with respect to theother slider blade 10. The respective slots ltld of the slider blades10, 11 are then in confronting relation, whereby such blades are pushedinto one another. The slider blade 11 thus lies with its intermediatepiece in the recess or slot 10:! of slider blade 19, and is movablerelative to slider blade It? by an amount s This relative mobilitybetween the intersecting and overlying slider blades ltl and 11 isnecessary because the length l of these two slider blades approximatelycorre 'sponds to the length b of the minor axis of the elliptical orquite nearly elliptical chamber 2. Moreover, the arcuate contactsurfaces or edges Ne, 11@ and 1d 11 lie apart from one another to form aspace or void 14a therebetween, a distance corresponding to the amount 1in the peripheral direction of the chamber 2. Thus, an adaptation to thetwo slider blades 16), 11 by the difference of rise must be renderedpossible at the points of the wall 7 surface 12 corresponding to thecontact points or edges common plane.

d 10a, 11a and lltlf, 11 The respective edges lite, 11c and lily, 11f ofthe slider blades 10 and 11, respectively, which rotate one behind theother, together with the respective intermediate spaces or depressions14a existing between adjacent cooperating blade edges form a labyrinth,so that a labyrinth eliect is produced. Consequently, gap losses aregreatly reduced. It will be recognized that in the as-assembledcondition of the multiple slider, depicted in FIGURE 4, blade wing 10aoverlies blade wing 11a, and blade wing 11b overlies blade wing 1%, witha respective blade wing Ida, 11b and 11a, 101) of each slider blade 10,11 disposed in a substantially Instead of forming the multiple slider orshuttle 14 from two slider blades 19, 11, it would also be possible toprovide a three-part blade or slider assembly as shown in FIGURES 5 and6. In such case, only the outer slider blades 20 and 21 would beprovided with an inclined,

' intermediate connecting piece 22 and 23, respectively,

whereas the middle slider blade 24 while still retaining a slottedportion 25 would be disposed in one common lane. Theends of the sliderblades advantageously may possess an arched or approximately ellipticalcontour.

In lieu of only one shuttle or slider 14 as illustrated, the describedrotary piston compressor could also be provided with a plurality ofsliders arranged in star form in relation to one another, as shown forexample in the embodiments of FIGURES 7 and 8. More specifically, inFIGURE 7 there are shown two U-shaped slider blades 30 and 31 arrangedin star formation, whereas in the embodiment of FIGURE 8 an additionalI-shaped slider blade 32 is employed. The rotary piston compressor oranalogous fluid-flow device, in accordance with the present inventionpossesses the advantage that it is of simple style and construction, andthat it is also exceptionally suitable for small constructional sizes offluid-flow equipment.

The mode of operation of the described rotary compressor is as follows:J

The zone of contact of the eccentrically disposed rotor 5 against theinner wall of the chamber 2 between the inlet port .4 and outlet port 3(assuming clockwise rotation of the rotor) and the arched or arcuateends llle, 11a and 16 11 of the slider 14, divides the space be tweenthe inner wall of the chamber and the rotor sur face generally .intothree compartments or chambers. When, as in FIGURE 1, one face or endltle, 11a of the slider 14 lies in the mentioned zone of contact of therotor 5 with the inner wall 12 of fluid chamber 2, one such compartmentdisappears, that is to say, its volume becomes zero. Now, since theshape and construction of the elliptical or quite nearly ellipticalfluid chamber 2 is determined by the slider length l and the eccentricpositioning of the axis of rotation of rotor 5 with respect to thecenter of the housing, these compartments are sufliciently sealed withrespect to one another in all positions of the slider 14, all of theslider blades of which have the same effective length 1, correspondingto the length of the chord of the housing chamber 2 passing through thegeometric center of the rotor 5 and through the shortest axis of suchhousing chamber.

Now, it it is assumed that the rotor 5 is rotatably driven in clockwisedirection, the port 4 is the inlet port and the port 3 the outlet port.As soon as the upper end ltle, Me of slider 14,. as shown in FIGURE 1,has passed the inlet port 4, a compartment or chamber is formed betweenthis upper end portion of the slider and the zone of contact betweenrotor 5 and the inner wall 12 of chamber 2, the volumeof which chamberincreases as rotation of the rotor 5 progresses. Consequently, theworking medium is sucked into this last-mentioned chamber through theinlet port 4. This suction action is continued until the faces or ends10 11 of slider 14 slide over theinlet port 4 and the thus filledchamber or compartment isclosed oil by the ends 10c, 11c and Ni, 11 ofthe slider 14. The medium is now conveyed around the housing cham- 8 herZuntil the ends ltle, -11e of slider 14 slide over the outlet port 3 andfurther over the above-mentioned zone of contact. Here, now, thefluid-containing chamber is again defined by the slider faces or ends f,11 and this zone of contact, and is in communication with the outletport 3. It will be appreciated that, the volume of this chamber reducesduring the courseof progressing rotation of the rotor 5. The workingmedium is thus expelled through the outlet port 3, until the relevantslider end slides over the opening of the outlet port 3, in whichposition such chamber is emptied. This action is repeated constantlyduring rotor rotation, working medium always being sucked into onechamber, conveyed in a second chamber and ejected from a third chamber.

While there is shown and described a present preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described the present invention what is desired to besecured by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. In a rotary fluid-flow device comprising a housing having inner wallsdefining a fluid chamber, inlet and outlet ports communicating with saidfluid chamber, a rotor member eccentrically disposed for rotation insaid fluid chamber, said rotor member having contact with the walls ofsaid fluid chamber between said inlet and outlet ports and beingprovided with a diametral slot, a multiple slider carried in saiddiametral slot for sliding movement relative to said rotor member andcontacting said walls of said fluid chamber at opposed ends of saidmultiple slider, said multiple slider comprising a plurality ofintersecting slider blades disposed in saiddiametral slot, each sliderblade comprising a pair of blade wings disposed in separate planesinterconnected by an intermediate connecting member provided with arecess, said intersecting slider blades being symmetrical, with eachslider blade turned through 180 degrees in its own plane relative to theadjacent slider blade with the respective recess of said slider bladesinterfittingly engaging with one another, each of said intersectingslider blades having opposed faces which are simultaneously in contactwith the inner walls of said fluid chamber during rotation of said rotormember, said opposed faces of each of said slider blades providingrespective contact faces, with the Zone of contact between eachrespective contact face of said multiple slider and the inner wall ofsaid fluid chamber changing during rotation of the rotor member, saidcontact zone Wandering along the outer surface of the associated contactface.

2. In arotary fluid-flow device comprising a housing having inner wallsdefining a fluid chamber, inlet and outlet ports communicating with saidfluid chamber, a rotor member eccentrically disposed for rotation in.said fluid chamber, said rotor member having contact with the walls ofsaid fluid chamber between said inlet and outlet ports and beingprovided with a diametral slot, a multiple slider carried in saiddiametral slot for sliding movementrelative to said rotor member andcontacting said walls of said fluid chamber at opposed ends of saidmultiple slider, said multiple slider comprising two intersecting sliderblades disposed in said diametral slot, each slider blade comprising apair of blade wings disposed in separate planes interconnected by aninclined intermediate connecting member provided with a recess, saidintersecting slider blades being symmetrical, with one such slider bladeturned through 180 degrees in its own plane relative to the other sliderblade with the respective reces of said slider blades interengaging toform said multiple slider, and with a blade wing of one slider bladeoverlying a blade wing of the other slider blade and with a respectiveblade wing of each slider blade lying in a substantially common plane,each of said intersecting slider blades having opposed faces which aresimultaneously in contact with the inner walls of said fluid chamberduring rotation of said rotor member, said opposed faces of each of saidslider blades providing respective contact faces, with the zone ofcontact between each respective contact face of said multiple sliderandthe inner wall of said fluid chamber changing during rotation of therotor member, said contact zone wandering along the outer surface of theassociated contact face.

3. In a rotary fluid-flow device according to claim 2; wherein the widthof the recess of each slider blade is greater than the thickness of saidslider blade.-

4. In a rotary fluid-flow device according to claim 2; wherein the endsof each slider blade are rounded-off.

5. Rotary piston compressor and the like comprising a housing providedwith a fluid chamber, a rotor member eccentrically disposed for rotationin said fluid chamber, said rotor member being provided with a slot, amultiple slider located in said slot for sliding movement relative tosaid rotor member, said multiple slider comprising a plurality of sliderblades disposed adjacent one another in overlying relationship, each ofsaid slider blades possessing the same effective length substantiallycorresponding to the length of a chord of said chamber passing throughthe geometric center of said rotor member and through the shortest axisof said fluid chamber, each slider blade com prising a pair of bladewings disposed in separate, substantially parallel planes interconnectedby an intermediate connecting member provided with a recess, said sliderblades being symmetrical with each lider blade turned through degrees inits own plane relative to the next adjacent symmetrical slider blade,with the respective recess of said symmetrical slider bladesinterengaging to form said multiple slider, each of said intersectionslider blades having opposed faces which are simultaneously in contactwith the inner walls of said fluid chamber during rotation of said rotormember, said opposed faces of each of said slider blades providingrespective contact faces, with the zone of contact between eachrespective contact faces of said multiple slider and the inner wall ofsaid fluid chamber changing during rotation of the rotor member, andsaid contact zone wandering along the outer surface of the associatedcontact face. i

6. Rotary piston compressor and the like comprisinga housing providedwith a fluid chamber, a rotor member eccentrically disposed forrotationin said fluid chamber, said rotor member being provided with a slot, amultiple slider located in said slot for sliding movement relative tosaid rotor member, said multiple slider comprising a plurality of sliderblades disposed adjacent one another in overlying relationship, each ofsaid slider blades possessing the same effective length ubstantiallycorresponding to the length of a chord of said chamber passing throughthe geometric center of said rotor member and through the shortest axisof said fluid chamber, each slider blade comprising a pair of bladewings disposed in separate substantially parallel planes interconnectedby an intermediate connecting member provided with a recess,

said slider blades being symmetrical with each slider blade turnedthrough 180 degrees in its own plane relative to the next adjacentsymmetrical slider blade, with the respective recess of said symmetricalslider blades interengaging to form said multiple slider, and with ablade wing of one slider blade overlying a blade wing of the otherslider blade and with a respective blade wing of each slider blade lyingin a substantially common plane, each of said intersecting slider bladeshaving opposed faces which are simultaneously in contact with the innerwalls of said fluid chamber during rotation of said rotor member, saidopposed faces of each of said slider blades providing respective'contactfaces, with the zone of contact-beewcen each respective contact face ofsaid multiple slider and the inner wall of said fluid chamber changingduring rotation of the rotor member, said contact zone Wandering alongthe outer surface of the associated contact face.

' 7. A multiple-slider for a rotary fluid-flow device comprising atleast two symmetrical slider blades, each lider blade comprising a pairof blade wings disposed in separate, substantially parallel planesinterconnected by an intermediate connecting member provided with arecess, each slider blade being turned through 180 degrees in its ownplane relative to the next adjacent symmetrical slider blade with therespective recess of said intermediate connecting members of saidsymmetrical slider blades being pushed into one another in interengagingfashion to form the as-assembled multiple slider, with said sliderblades intersecting one another, and with a blade wing of one sliderblade overlying a blade wing of the other slider blade and with arespective blade wing of each slider blade lying in a substantial commonplane.

8. A multiple-slider for a rotary fluid-flow device comprising at leasttwo symmetrical slider blades, each slider blade comprising a pair ofblade wings disposed in separate, substantially parallel planesinterconnected by an inclined intermediate connecting member providedwith a recess, each slider blade being turned through 180 degrees in itsown plane relative to the next adjacent symmetrical slider blade withthe'respective recess of said intermediate connecting members of saidsymmetrical slider blades & being pushed into one another ininterengaging manner to form the as-assembled multiple slider, with saidslider blades intersecting one another and with a blade wing of oneslider blade overlying a blade wing ofthe other slider '5 blade and Witha respective blade Wing of each slider blade lying in a substantiallycommon plane,said overlying blade wings of said slider blades beingprovided with rounded ends.

References Gated by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS 129,299 7/72ShotWell 103l37 238,834- 3/31- Benson Q 103l.37 1,865,666 7/32 Arugal03l37 X 15 2,106,959 2/38 Phillips 230-153 2,459,071 1/49 Garrison 230-153 FOREIGN PATENTS 496,648 8/19 France. 14,984 i 1908 Great Britain.228,264 2 /25 Great Britain.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

J'OSEBH H. BRANSON, 311., Examiner.

1. IN A ROTARY FLUID-FLOW DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING INNER WALLSDEFINING A FLUID CHAMBER, INLET AND OUTLET PORTS COMMUNICATING WITH SAIDFLUID CHAMBER, A ROTOR MEMBER ECCENTRICALLY DISPOSED FOR ROTATION INSAID FLUID CHAMBER, SAID ROTOR MEMBER HAVING CONTACT WITH THE WALLS OFSAID FLUID CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTS AND BEINGPROVIDED WITH A DIAMETRAL SLOT, A MULTIPLE SLIDER CARRIED IN SAIDDIAMETRAL SLOT FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID ROTOR MEMBER ANDCONTACTING SAID WALLS OF SAID FLUID CHAMBER AT OPPOSED ENDS OF SAIDMULTIPLE SLIDER, SAID MULTIPLE SLIDER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OFINTERSECTING SLIDER BLADES DISPOSED IN SAID DIAMETRAL SLOT, EACH SLIDERBLADE COMPRISING A PAIR OF BLADE WINGS DISPOSED IN SEPARATE PLANESINTERCONNECTED BY AN INTERMEDIATE CONNECTING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH ARECESS, SAID INTERSECTING SLIDER BLADES BEING SYMMETRICAL, WITH EACHSLIDER BLADE TURNED THROUGH 180 DEGREES IN ITS OWN PLANE RELATIVE TO THEADJACENT SLIDER BLADE WITH THE RESPECTIVE RECESS OF SAID SLIDER BLADESINTERFITTINGLY ENGAGING WITH ONE ANOTHER, EACH OF SAID INTERSECTINGSLIDER BLADES HAVING OPPOSED FACES WHICH ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN CONTACTWITH THE INNER WALLS OF SAID FLUID CHAMBER DURING ROTATION OF SAID ROTORMEMBER, SAID OPPOSED FACES OF EACH OF SAID SLIDER BLADES PROVIDINGRESPECTIVE CONTACT FACES, WITH THE ZONE OF CONTACT BETWEEN EACHRESPECTIVE CONTACT FACE OF SAID MULTIPLE SLIDER AND THE INNER WALL OFSAID FLUID CHAMBER CHANGING DURING ROTATION OF THE ROTOR MEMBER, SAIDCONTACT ZONE WANDERING ALONG THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE ASSICIATED CONTACTFACE.